


Don't Joke

by peggy_hamilton



Series: Band Of Brothers Imagines [25]
Category: Band of Brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-24 04:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20352652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peggy_hamilton/pseuds/peggy_hamilton
Summary: Talbert cares more than he should for their field nurse





	Don't Joke

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted on my tumblr @justthinkingofwaystoavoidbusses
> 
> original request: A story in which Talbert is protective of the company’s nurse and everyone suspects something since it’s totally out of character for him to care about a girl in that way, please? :) - anon

Something was up with Talbert. The men had begun to notice it, at first it was only the wounded men who came back, Tab would go up to them and ask them if they had seen Y/N, the company nurse, whilst they had been at the aid station.

You had been assigned to Easy Company as a field nurse, and while most of your time was spent with them when they weren’t facing battle you were more often than not called back to the aid station. “Popeye!” Tab greeted when he saw him, slinging an arm around the man’s shoulders, “How was the aid station?”

“It was okay, lotsa pretty nurses to get me through.” He didn’t notice Talbert tense up beside him.

“Oh yeah? Was Y/N there?”

Popeye nodded and hummed, “Yeah, most of the other soldiers seemed pretty taken by her.”

“Really?” Talbert gritted out, trying to keep his voice even, “She coming back for the jump?”

Popeye shrugged, “Don’t know, probably.” Tab let his arm drop and Popeye wondered off to get suited up before the drop into Holland, Tab wished you would make it back sooner so he could keep an eye out for you.

Just as he thought that he saw you hop off another jeep that came down the road, “Y/N!” he exclaimed with a smile.

“Floyd!” you grinned, rushing over to him and hugging him quickly, “I haven’t seen you in ages!”

“Nurse Y/L/N.”

The two of you stiffened and turned round to face Sobel who was glaring at the two of them, “Sir,” you both replied, Tab had forgotten he was still here.

Sobel noticed the two of you standing close together, his eyes narrowing in on where Tab had his arm around your shoulders but Talbert didn’t move his arm. “Good luck with the jump,” he settled on and turned away to get back in the jeep.

Tab watched him go with a stony expression on his face, you shuddered, “Ugh, that guy still gives me the creeps.” For good measure Talbert glared at the retreating jeep Sobel was on, if it was up to him you would never have to see that guy again and now that he was only a supply officer it seemed he was in luck.

—

“This is horrible,” you whispered, looking on in horror at the women who were currently being shaved for sleeping with the Nazi’s in the middle of the square.

Tab came up and wrapped his arm around your waist and you leant back into his touch, forgetting that you were upset with him for kissing the Dutch woman though you didn’t know why you felt that way. “Come on,” he guided you away, “Let’s find Winters.”

—

Easy was off the line and apparently would be until March, which meant you had been called to assist at the nearest hospital to where Easy was stationed, you only ever saw them when you got a weekend pass which was rarely.

Sometimes a few of the guys would see you if they got sent to you for wounds they got fighting. What you didn’t know was that Talbert was usually the one to greet those men when they came back only to ask questions about how you were, where you were, where you doing well, etc.

“Jesus Tab, why don’t you just marry the girl you want to know so much about her,” Luz rolled his eyes.

Tab choked, opening and closing his mouth as he looked for words, “Wha–I do- I don’t even-what-Luz- I don’t-”

Luz raised an eyebrow, “Sure,” he walked away and caught up with Perconte, “So when do you think he’ll figure out he likes her?”

“Who knows?” Perconte shrugged, “He’s been doing this for years.”

—

You had been driven back to Easy completely out of the blue only to be carted onto the back of a truck, “Where are we heading boys?”

The guys noticed you were there and greeted you with loud cheers and welcomes, you squashed into the back of a truck and found yourself wedged up next to Talbert, “Hi,” you whispered.

“Hey,” he greeted you with a soft smile, wrapping an arm over you when he noticed you were shivering.

“Do you know where we’re going?”

“To the lines, that’s all I know,” Tab shrugged.

You nodded and settled into his side, enjoying the small amount of warmth he emitted, “Then I better enjoy the ride while I can.”

—

You couldn’t help the screams that erupted from your throat as the mortar rounds came down on top of you, you would bet that you weren’t the only one but you couldn’t hear over the sound of the explosions. The only thing you were sure of was that Tab was pressed against your back as you both desperately pushed closer to the frozen ground.

Eventually the barrage stopped, your hands were shaking from the cold and from the shock. They had never prepared you for warfare like this and you already knew this was going to be hell, within seconds you heard the call for a medic. You gulped and forced yourself up and out of the half dug foxhole, Talbert tried to reach out and stop you but you were gone.

The next barrage started up again and Talbert flinched every time he heard one hit the ground fearing that you would have been the one standing in it’s path. After the bomb stopped falling he was afraid to leave the foxhole lest he find out you were dead, so he stayed and waited. You came back what felt like forever later, you had blood on your clothes and he paled, “Are you okay?”

You frowned and looked down at yourself, “Oh? Yeah, it’s not mine.” You settled in next to him and he grabbed your hand, you interlocked your fingers and gave his hand a small squeeze and rested your head on his shoulder.

—

Talbert held out another tin to Dimingus, “For Y/N.” He dumped a spoonful of beans and whatever else into the tin and he brought it over to you, “Eat up, you haven’t had anything in days,” he said softly and settled down on the log next to you.

“Would you look at that?” Liebgott said, eyeing the two of you. “Has Floyd ever brought any of food?

“No,” Popeye grinned from beside him.

“Don’t you think it’s just a little odd?” Liebgott smirked.

“Well obviously it’s because their friends,” Muck piped up, playing along.

“Of course,” Liebgott nodded, pretending to be serious, “Because we all know his previous track record shows him being kind and caring to broads.”

Luz snorted and plonked himself down next to them, “Yeah right, it is interesting though.” He said and looked over at the two of you talking quietly, “Alright, what are your bets?”

“When get taken off the line,” Liebgott said.

“No way, I’d say day the war’s over,” Muck chipped in.

“Popeye?” Luz prompted.

“Hmm, I’m going to go with a year after we get sent home.”

Their eyes widened but they shrugged, “What about you Luz?” Liebgott asked.

Luz looked back at the two of you, where you laughed at something he had said and rested your head on his shoulder, “Whilst we’re still out here sometime.”

“That soon?”

“Oh yeah. Definitely.”

—

Luz turned out to be the closest better. It didn’t happen while you were still in the forest but it was before you got taken off the line. You had just taken Rachamps when a sniper made themselves known. On instinct you ran towards the cry for medic, you sprinted across the courtyard and the sniper hit you in the shoulder which you didn’t realise until later.

“Oh my god, Y/N, you’re bleeding!” Talbert rushed towards you.

You glanced down at your shoulder and saw that half of your shirt was now soaked with your own blood, “Look at that, I am,” you said, suddenly feeling faint. Your knees gave way underneath you and he caught you just in time and lowered you to the ground.

Talbert got his knife and cut a hole in your shoulder and saw the wound where the bullet was embedded, “Medic!” he called and a few seconds later Roe was there pushing him out of the way. Tab switched sides and held your hand tightly as you cried out in pain while Roe dug around inside the wound for the bullet.

Roe pulled it out and quickly sprinkled the sulfa over it and a bandage, “Should be okay,” he assured.

Tab let out a sigh of relief and you gave him the strongest smile you could muster. “Not getting rid of me that easily.”

“Don’t say that,” Tab shook his head, surprising you and himself when he leant forward and crashed his lips into yours. Your eyes widened but you gave in and kissed him back. You were the first to pull away for air, he cupped your cheek and looked deep into your eyes, “Don’t ever joke about that, I can’t live without you.”

“Okay,” you agreed, leaning forward to kiss him softly and sweetly once more. The war may not be over yet but it would certainly be more bearable with him by your side.


End file.
